The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) has expressed grave concern over the recent developments in parts of Northern Bahr el Ghazal's Aweil North and Aweil East counties and called on Sudan and South Sudan to urgently meet to resolve the matter.
UNISFA troops were forced to relocate and the Kiir Adem and War Abar team sites in Aweil North and Aweil East Counties of South Sudan were closed following protests by locals calling for the relocation of the troops saying the presence of the troops in Northern Barh el Ghazal is a plot to annex those areas to Sudan.
In a statement to Radio Tamazuj, UNISFA spokesperson Daniel Adekera said, "The Mission has duly informed UN Headquarters of these developments and requested that UN Security Council be kept abreast of this unfortunate situation. It also apprised the Sudanese authorities on the matter since both Parties had given prior approval on the location of the Sector HQ and the two Team Sites. The mission also believes that it is urgent that a Joint Political and Security Mechanism (JPSM) meeting be organized so that both parties can engage expeditiously on this and other Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism (JBVMM)-related matters."
Adekera said petitioners demanded the withdrawal of UNISFA from Gok Machar on 11 August 2021, and from War Abar on 13 August 2021.
"To prevent an escalation of the situation, UNISFA was forced to relocate from TS 11 (Kiir Adem) and TS 12 (War Adar) to Sector HQ in Gok Machar. On 30 August, the local community of Aweil North County demanded in writing the complete withdrawal of UNISFA/JBVMM from Sector HQ in Gok Machar “within 48 hours”, he added.
Sudan and South Sudan agreed to the establishment of the Safe De-militarized Border Zone (SBDZ) to be monitored by the JBVMM. During a Joint Political and Security Mechanism meeting held in Addis Ababa on 24 September 2018, Sudan and South Sudan decided that South Sudan would establish a high-level Team in coordination with the Ad-hoc Committee of the 14 Mile Area, to sensitize the communities to enable the full establishment of Team Sites in both Kiir Adem and War Abar.
After the sensitization, UNISFA says, local government officials agreed to release land for the establishment of Kiir Adem and War Abar sites.
UNISFA says it will continue to engage the government of South Sudan, although prior engagements bore no fruits, to sensitize the citizens on the JBVMM's mandate and the rationale for its presence in the sites.
"In the meantime, despite the significant drawback caused by the forced relocation of troops and equipment from both team sites, acting HoM reiterates that UNISFA will continue to carry out its mandated activities where is it present," UNISFA spokesperson noted.